Air-operated molding apparatus



Aug. 3 1Q26. 1,594,598

' D. J. CAMPBELL AIROPERATED MOLDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1922 4Sheets-Sheet 1 E 3859 56 25 35 3g 55/ ll Aug. 3 1926.

D. J. CAMPBELL Filed Sept. 28, 1

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Inuenfor Donald J. CampbeH i-morneg,

Aug. 3 1926.

D. J. CAMPBELL AIR OPERATED MOLDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledSept. 28 1922 Inuenfor. Donald J. Cam

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UNITED STATES DONALDJ. CAMPBELL, MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN.

AIR-OPERATED MOLDING APPARATUS.

Application filed September 28, 1922. Serial No. 591,019.

This invention relates to air operated molding apparatus. As shown in myprior applications for patent, Ser. No. 443,739, filed Feb. 10, 1921,and Ser. No. 491,351,

filed Aug. 11, 1921, I have devised a molding apparatus whereincompressed air is utilized for the forcing of sand into molds or coreboxes, a complete mold or core being made with one or two impulses ofthe air acting on the sand which is contained in a sand ho per to forceit into flasks or core boxes. Ehave found that the air when carried tothe hopper through a pipe conduit loses its effectiveness through lossof pressure and that sufficient air is not carried in the required timeof operation to make satisfactory molds except when the pressure of theair is very high, and my present invention is primarily directed toovercoming this through the use of a comparatively large reservoirlocated directly contiguous to the sand hopper which may be filled fromthe main compressed air tank during the intervals between mold formings,so that when the operation of releasing the air to act on the sand isperformed, the necessary and suflicient supply of air is ready forimmediate action on the sand without having to come thereto through along'and small pipe. Further objects of the invention are to providesuitable controlling valve mechanism for the air, relief valve mechanismtherefor and many other novel additional constructive features forthebetter handling of the air for the most effective attainment of themain end desired, namely, the rapid formation of sand molds and coresthrough the agency of compressed air. a

For an understanding of the, invention, reference may be had to thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken centrally through the flask, sandhopper, and air reservoir, showing the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged central vertical section through theair reservoir at the lower end thereof, showing the air con trol andrelief valves.

Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections taken, respectively, on lines 3--3and 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary under plan view of the lower end of thereservoir member of the construction,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the upper portion of the constructionembodying my invention;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to that shown in .Fig. 6, showing a somewhatmodified form of the invention, and

Fig. 8 is an elevation looking at a side of the construction shown inFig. 7.

- Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the draw- The sand hopper 1 in which the charge of sand is locatedfor action thereon by compressed air is of frustro-conical form havingan outwardly extending annular flange 1 at its upper end. A san'dretaining grating including an outer frame 2 and grating bars 3 issecured at the lower end of the hopper, the same lying over the flask 4which is provided with a similar grating 5 at its upper side,is-located. The pattern rests on a board 7, in turn supported on asuitable base 8. This construction so far described is not new in thepresent application, being fully disclosed in the applications to whichreference is made above.

The hopper is adapted to be moved back and forth and in operativeposition for the forcing of sand into the flask comes under the lowerend of the air reservoir construction. This reservoir constructionincludes an upper air container of relatively large size having sides 9,top 10 and bottom 11 fromwhich bottom a neck 12 projects downwardly fora short distance and is then carried outwardly for a short distancemaking an annular flange 13. A plate 14 passes across the lower end ofthe neck and is secured thereto by screws or like fastening means, and agasket ring 15 of rubber is held between the edges of the plate and thedepending outer lip of flange 13 as shown.

There is thus provided a smaller chamber through the plate as shown.

The air is carried to the large container through a pipe 18 from themain compressed air tank. From the container it passes to chamber 16through openings 19 made through the bottom 11- of the container. A

under which the pattern 6 rubber disk or plate 20 is located a ainst theupper side of the bottom 11 an has openings therethrough in conjunctionwith the openings 19, this disk being secured in place by a thin metalplate 21 connected to the bottom 11 by screws or the like. Plate 21 isalso provided with openings somewhat larger in diameter than openings 19so that the closing valves 22 may pass through said larger openings andbear against the rubber seating disk 20. As shown there are seven of theopenings 19, .all comparatively large size so as to carry the volume ofair rapidly therethrough when the closing valves are lifted.

The valves 22 ends of stems 23 valves to be seated on the disk 20 underpressure of springs 26 and obviate any slight irregularities which maybe present.

The head 25 is pinned to the lower end of a vertical rod 29 by a pin 30,passing upwardly therefrom through a collar 31 formed at the lower endsof a plurality of arms 32 which arecast integral with and extenddownwardly from a plate 33 connected to and filling an opening in theupper side of the air container. The rod 29 passes through plate 33, asuitable stuffing box 34 being provided to insure against escape of airaround the rod. At the upper end of the rod a head 36 is formed,provided with oppositely extending pins 37 which seat in sockets formedin the forks 38 formed at one end of a lever 38 connected to a rod 39,which rod is rotatably mounted at one end in post 40 extending upwardlyfrom the plate 33 and passing through, at its other end, one of theconnector bars 41 used to suspend the reservoir construction from anoverhead stationary beam 42. A handle arm 43 is attached to the rod 39and it is obvious that on manual operation thereof,'the rod 29 andconnected valve carrying head 25 may be easily raised or lowered asdesired.

The lever 38 is connected to rod 39 between its ends, having one endportion thereof extending beyond the side of the air container, to whichthe upper end of an elongated tubular member 44 is pivotally connected.An outlet passage 45 for air from the chamber 16 is made in one side ofthe neck 12, a nipple 46 threading into said passage and connecting witha valve casin 47 to which, at its opposite side an outlet. short lengthof pipe is secured. A valve 49, of conventional structure is locatedwithin the casing 47 normally closing the casing against the passage ofair therethrough. The valve is connected to the lower end of a rod 50which passes upwardly through the casing 47 and loosely through a cap 51screwed on to the lower end of the member 44. A nut 52 is threaded on tothe upper end of rod 50 above the cap 51, between which nut and a stopplug 53 in member 44 a coiled spring 54 under compression is located.

The sand hopper 1 being supplied with sand in any suitable manner, suchas outlined in my prior application for atent, above noted, and broughtunder t e air reservoir, tween the reservoir and base 8, gasket 15bearing against the flange 1 of the hopper. The handle member 43 is thengrasped and operated to lift all of the valves 22. The compressed airfrom the large container passes through openings 19 instantly, due tothe number and size of the openings, and into chamber 16, and therefromthrough openings 17 in plate 14 to impinge against the sand. By reasonof the large number of openings 17 over all of the upper surface of thesand, the air is evenly distributed thereover, this being aided by theprogressive enlar ement downward of such openings, and the effect isthat the air strikes the sand evenly over its entire mass, andpractically instantaneously, giving it an impulse downward which forcesit through the gratings into the flask and compresses it evenly at everypoint around the pattern. After the air has been utilized to ram thesand into the fiask,handle member 43 is turned in the oppositedirection, first permitting the valves at 22 to come toseating position,in which they are aided by spring 35 disposed between the head 25 andcollar 31, after which, on further movement of member 43, member 44 israised, thereby lifting valve 49 and releasing the air in chamber 16which passes out through pipe 48. The operating handle member 43 is thenmoved back to central neutral position, spring 54 acting to close therelief valve 49, the mechanism be ing ready for the next cycle ofoperations thereof.

In Figs. 7 and 8, a slightly modified form of the invention is shown.The rod 50 extending from valve 49 is shortened, as indias shown in Fig.1, is clamped becated at 50 and provided with a head 55 i air reservoir,the other arm 61 01? which extends downwardly as shown.

The handle member 43 is modified in form, as indicated at 43, its lowerend having a handle 62 pivot-ally mounted thereon, the upper end of thehandle being formed with a yoke 63 passing to each side of the lower endof the member 43, with a pivot pin 64 passing through the yoke and lowerend of member 43. The lower end of the arm 61 bears against a side ofthe handle 62. The handle when moved in the direction of the arm 61 hasno effect on the member 43* which remains in vertical neutral position,the bell-crank lever being operated to lift the valve 49. When moved inthe opposite direction, the member 43 is operated and the valves 22elevated for the passage of air from the air reservoir through theopenings 19, as is evident.

This construction is operated substantially the same as the onepreviously described and has the same effect. It is simpler inconstruction, more easily constructed and repaired and there is nonecessity of turning the member 43 past its vertical neutral positionwith the valves 22 closed in order to open the exhaust valve. This makesan easier operation and one much more satisfactory.

The construction described is particularly practical and ellective incontrolling the compressed air and getting the maximum resultstherefrom. Between operations of the apparatus, the air is supplied tothe reservoir container therefor from the main compressed air tank,coming through pipe 18, and a full charge of air required for anoperation is secured directly over the sand ho er and in position to becarried direct y into the hopper. In addition, the apparatus has meansfor applying the full force of the compressed air evenly andhomogeneously over and against the sand in the ho per, so that the sandat all points is under t e same pressing force, resulting in a moldwhich is evenly rammed throughout. The relief of the hopper after acharge of sand has been driven therefrom, is simple, the relief valvebeing operated with a continuation of the operation which shuts off theair from the hopper. The valve mechanisms in all respects areparticularly simple and consequently durable in practical service.

The appended claims define the invention, and I consider myself entitledto all forms of construction coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. An air supply reservoir construction, comprising a large containerfor compressed air having sides, bottom and top, said bottom having aplurality of openings therethrough, a neck depending from the bottom ofthe container around said openin s, a

plate having a plurality of openings t ere through secured across thelower end of the neck, valves, onelforeach opening in the bottom ofthecontainer located over said openings, a head to which said valves areattached, means normally holding the valves in closed position, andmeans operable from outside of the container for lifting all of thevalves together.

2. Anairsupply reservoir construction for molding machines, comprising alarge container for compressed air having sides, bottom and top, thebottom having a plurality of relatively large openings there through, aneck depending from the bottom of the container around -the openings, aplate secured across the lower end of the neck, said plate having aplurality of closely positioned small openings therethrough, valveslocated in the container, one over each 0 ening in the bottom thereof, ahead on w ich all of the valves are mounted, a rod attached to the headextending therefrom through the top of the container, .a rotatablymounted rod, an operating handle therefor, and a lever fixed to the rodand connected to the lar member connected to the lever,a cap on thelower end of said member through which said valve rod passes, a nut onthe rod above. the cap, a lug secured in the tubular member above t enut, anda compression spring between said nut and'plug.

4. In combination, a relatively lar e container for compressed airhaving a ottom with openings therethrough, a neck depending from thebottom around said openings, a plate secured across the lower end of theneck and having a large number of small closely positioned openin stherethrough valves in the container or closing said openings, an outletmember connected with said neck, a valvetherein normally stoppin theoutlet passage, and manually operated I means for lifting the firstnamed valves simultaneously when moved in' one direction from a centralneutral position, and for moving said second valve to open the outletpassage when moved in the opposite direction from-a central neutralposition.

5. In combination, a relatively large container for compressed airhaving sides, bot tom and top, said bottom having a plurality e valvesmay be lifted on operation of the of relatively large openingstherethrough, lower ends to form a collar through which valves, one foreach opening located within the rod asses, a compression spring between10 the container over said openings, a head, a the head and collar, andmanually operable stem connected to each valve and connected means forraising the rod and attached head to the head, a rod attached to thehead at its and valves against the spring.

lower end and extending upwardly through In testimony whereof Iafiix mysignature. the top of the container, arms depending fromthe head andioined together at their DONALD J. CAMPBELL.

